Quinoa

Quick! It’s time to branch out and experiment with new ingredients, before our collective enthusiasm for the new year evaporates!

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If you’ve never tried quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah,) there’s no better time than right now. Believe me, you’re in for a treat. This pearly little superfood is packed with protein and nutrients, yet is as easy and versatile as rice.

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This step is not strictly necessary, but it’s a good idea: toasting your quinoa lightly before the actual cooking will greatly enhance the flavor. You can do this the right way, which is to say in a dry skillet on the stove, but I’m lazy and do it in the microwave. Go for one minute at a time, stirring in between, until you start to smell this nice nutty aroma, usually around 3 minutes for 1 cup of dry quinoa. On the stovetop it will take more like 5 minutes, and then you’ll have a dirty pan to wash. Did you resolve to wash extra dishes in the coming new year? Because I sure didn’t.

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This step, on the other hand, you don’t want to skip, even if you’re pressed for time: rinse the seeds thoroughly under running water. This will wash off the bitter saponin coating that discourages birds and insects from devouring the plant before it ever gets harvested. I won’t tell the birds what they’re missing out on if you won’t.

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The rest is automatic. Add 2 cups of water to your trusty rice cooker…

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…and since I’m making this for breakfast, let’s toss in a handful of dried fruit, too. Think of it as an oatmeal substitute — anything you can put on hot cereal, you can put on this hot pseudocereal. Brown sugar, cinnamon, maple, bananas, it’s all good. I like to sprinkle my sugar over the top once it’s done, but you could add a few tablespoons to the cooking water instead for a more infused flavor.

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Close the lid, hit the button, and go take your shower. Or pack the lunchboxes, or whatever else you do in the morning that doesn’t involve cooking a hot breakfast, because that part’s taken care of.

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Wasn’t that easy? The final product will be light and fluffy, somewhat similar to couscous. Like I said, this stuff is very versatile. Swap out the fruit and sugar for some curry powder and frozen peas, and you have a fantastic dinner side dish. Or chill it with some leftover chicken and dressing for a pasta salad type thing. The possibilities are endless!

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Happy Eating!

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Breakfast Quinoa

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/3 cup dried cranberries or other fruit
2 TBS brown sugar